Dispenser for single service milk cans



Aug. 17, 1954 w. TAMMINGA r DISPENSER FOR SI ENGLE SERVICE MILK CANS Original Filed Nov. 15,1949

III .lllllllllllll I! fill! 1 I!!! III 1v moi; {8 20/77/4177 74 mm! 0 ATTOR Patented Aug. 17, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE William Tamminga, Goshen, N. Y., assignor to Monitor Process Corporation, Jersey City, N. J

a corporation of New Jersey Original application November15, 1949, Serial No.

127,389, now Patent No. 2,622,772, dated December 23, 1952. Divided and this application January 28, 1952, Serial No. 268,657

i This invention relates to the dispensing of milk from a bulk container into drinkin glasses for individual consumption. l

' My prior Patent No. 2,186,083, dated January 9, 1940, illustrates an apparatus for dispensing milk from conventional milk delivery cans, for example, the 40 quart variety, the can being supported in upright position within a cabinet provided with dispensing mechanism through which milk may be drawn, at the will of the operator, into drinking glasses.

The-apparatusof said patent is highly efiicientin handling the dispensing of milk from a conventional milk delivery can and has gone into extensive use on land, but does not meet all the requirements of seagoing vessels. Such ships are frequently at sea for weeks at a time and, when conventional milk delivery cans are utilized in this commerce, the empty cans are in such bad condition at the end of a voyage that they very frequently have to be taken apart and entirely rebuilt and retinned due to rust and corrosion,

because persons in charge of milk dispensing will not properly wash out and clean the cans after they have been emptied.

Consequently it has become the practice to package milk for seagoing vessels in five gallon cans, adapted fora single use. These cans are generally of rectangular form and are provided with a screw cap. They are shipped in filled condition and stored on the vessel under refrigerated conditions until use. i The milk in the can is then manually poured into pitchers by removing the screw top and tilting the can and, when a can is empty, it is thrown overboard. The

milk is poured from the pitcher into drinking glasses. This practice of serving milk is unsanitary and altogether undesirable and there: has, long been a definite need for some satisfactory dispensing unit whereby milk could be dispensed by the glassful directly from these five gallon containers while the milk remaining in the container is kept cool and palatable. The

. presentinvention provides a satisfactory solution of this problem.

In, carrying out the present invention, I provide these rectangular single use cans with an additional screw cap outlet and locate such outlet atlone corner of the top wall of the can and 6 Claims. (Cl. 222-80) ice cans as previously constructed. In addition,

I provide a dispensing cabinet to support the rectangular can in tilted, on edge, position in a refrigerating compartment of novel construction, hereinafter more fully described, so that the milk may be maintained in cool sanitary condi The accompanying drawing illustrates one practical embodiment of the invention, butthe construction therein shown is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of theinvention. i

Fig. 1 shows a milk dispenser according to the present invention, illustrating a can in position therein. The figure is a perspective view with a portion of the outer casing and a portion of the door broken away in the interest of clearness.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the assembly of Figure 1. i

The present invention comprises a novel refrigerated cabinet adapted to receive a novel form of single use can. In my parent application, Serial No. 127,389, now Patent No. 2,622,772, issued December 23, 1952, of which this application is a division, the can is shown and described in detail and repetition of such description is not considered necessary here.

Suflice it to point out that the can I is of rectangular form, all walls of the cabinetbeing of rectangular shape, and the top and bottom walls being preferably square. The top wall is designated 3 and is provided with a handle 4 whereby the can may be easily lifted and carried. In said sealed by a filler cap 5a. This filler opening isat one corner of the top wall 3, while at the opposite corner of such top wall is formed an outlet opening in which is supported a mounting cap 9 for a discharge tube 5, the details of which are The tube 6 is longitudinally slidable through a rubber sealing disclosed in said parent patent.

ring within the cup and while this tube is normally pressed in a position wherein it is mainly contained within the can, it may be withdrawn as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2.

When the milkis to be dispensed from a can so constituted, said can is removed from the usual refrigerated storage place and positioned in the cabinet shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This cabinet illustrated. in these...v fig ures,.in the interest of; simplicity; aslhaving a single thick- 5 'ness outer wall l8, although, in practice, it is preferably of double walled construction with. appropriate interposed insulation. The front of the casing of the cabinet is closed by a front panel" l9 shown as held in place by screws 2!]. central portion of this front panel. is provided.v with a square opening 26 positioned, with its; sides at 45 degrees to the base of the casin This opening is somewhat larger than the. trans-' verse dimensions of the canLsoztliata'pcanxmay" be readily passed through, saidlopening when;

openin sin ofiwhich forms the inlet .to the pocket.

The front; of; the pocket; is thus supported .by the front panel, butAthe rear endlofr'thespocketimay be';supported--. on: a, bracket: 28.; secured to. the. bottomof: th8:O2.Sing;3,S;ShO.WI1'; in Fig. 2.-. The.v

arrangement,issuchzthat the. pocket inclines up.+ 30.

wardly toward. the. rear of :the casing; as i1lus= trated' in this; latter; figure, so: thatithe. canpQsitioneddn-the pocket as shown1in. Fig.1 2, .will: beshbstantially horizontal, .but will. tilt. toward.

thQtCOI'IlQl'F of. the-canwhere the discharge tube 6 is located.

Arranged withinathe. casing :and; preferably mounted onthe outer surface. ofthepocketifi; are :a 1 series of; refrigerating, coils; 29: These -may.

be'arrangedabout'all four sides .ofthe pocket: or 40;

along a lesser number of said sides. lnanylevent; they arebonnectedto-terminal. tubes 3! which lead ato a control valve 32. This .valve :is in prac-. tice connected to. the remaining parts: of a: re-. frigerating; system 'which.may;1if l desired, be enclosechwithin thecasing 83 or within anapproepriate subbase associated" therewith. When a refrigerant is circuiated through the:.coi1s.2.9, heat isew'ithdrawn from the walls of thepocket 23-. with-.resulting cooling orrefrigeration of; the milk; in.the-can J in said pocket;

V Thecfrontzof the-casing has. a .hingeddoor 33 on. which is; mounted dispensing 1 mechanism of" the-character disclosed ingmy said" PatentrNo; 2;l86,983; and; insaid; door: is an. opening S8 v through which the discharge tube t-imay be withdrawn from the. can 2 I. andzsecured: to 1 the dispensing mechanism; on; the door, whereby the slide valve. of the dischargejtubemay be manipu lated' at. the will; of the. operator to discharge ofltne pocket, andxa door. on the frontoithe;

milk-through thadischarge; port-39 into .a drink-- ing-iglass positionedibeneath. the same- In;order to permit; of; satisfactory-flow of milk from:- the; can 1,,it isz.essentiaLthatair-be-ad? mitted to; the can. t0..dis-pla.ce; the. liquid drawn- 65, therethrough. Consequently, Ijmonnt on..a;rear ;wall of the-pocketlla-sharp spur. 3.9,- so located; a that it will engage withthe bottom oi-thecan near.

the upper corner thereof when thelcan isv positioned in the..pocket 2.3.. 'As; the. can;is;forced.. rearwardly to a..seat.inthe. pocket; thebotto'm .ofjthe can will beirnpaled-by. the. spurtfi, which.

is preferably ofh'arcuateor irregular cross? sec-- tion, so that ,theholethereby punched FiII-thB-bfitrpurpose stated. To insure'proper positioning of the can in the pocket a stop 40 is located at the bottom of the pocket and near its. forward end andthecan should be forcedinto the. pocket far enough for: itslower corner" to pas's;- the stop 40 and rest against the inner side of the stop- In associating the can with the casing, the

'front hinged door is opened, the can is forced back into the pocket until it is'engaged with The -lotlie stop 40. The tube 6 is then withdrawn into thepositionshown;in...dotted lines in Fig. 2. The

' door 3.3-.is,th6na0108.ed, the tube is secured to the dispensing; mechanism on the exterior of the door and all is then in readiness for the dispensing offmilk; Meanwhile the milk in the can is kept coolb'y the. refrigerating system which I havahereinbefore.described.

When the contents of the can have been drawn ofi, the-dispensing tube is disengaged from the dispensing mechanism on the door, the door is opened; .t-he-rcan liftedbutand :thrown overboard. 211G121? full r can :substituted in l the: 1 casing Milk handled in themanner stated.and...byj the; apparatus described; ismaintained; in hygienic; and sterile condition and atproper, temperatures. to insure palatability and.- freedom: of

contamination; The use-of pitchers .or"other.,-un. sterilized containers,- is; whollyunnecessary; 2.5117118; milhis deposited directly, from the sterilized can; throughi sterilized; equipment: to the; drinking; glass of the user. The cabinet: and thegdispensr ing, mechanism thereof. are such, that. no part thereof-ever touchesthe milk. Therefrigerating apparatus and the-interior; of the cabinet. are, sea-ledby the frontplateagainst theentrance, of, dirt, moisture; or; other extraneous matter;. so.

that: no cleaning of; the interior of the casing is.

required. The entire exterior,- of jthe casing and;v itszdoor made from stainlessgsteelor; other, 1 sanitary-material which gives apneat; and please ing appearanceand providesno harborfordirt; which; would; render it unsightly; or-"unsanitarysr.

The foregoing detailed; description; sets forth;v the: inventioninits preferred practical. form}. but the invention is, to-be, understoodasiully...

' commensurate \Vibh. the appended claims.

Having ,thusfully described. the invention, what: 1: claim as; new and":- desire, to secure; by. Letters; Patentv is;

1;. In an assembly ofthe: character. described,

a. cabinet profv'ided;v therein with a-.can'.;r.eceiving.1 lli eket; of.- substantialh v rectangular transverse;

cross; section with. an, open end at. the. frontof; the. cabinet and extending rearwardly. into; the: confiness of. theacabinet, said pocketbein'g posia tioned, with ail oi':its.;fr01jitto .rear walls..:airranged... V ininclined angular relation; to: the horiaontalato; receive supporttacan.in'recumbent position;

withat least two adjacent-side wal1s;of thelcan. ineontact with thecorresponding inclinedgwallsi cabinet. provided with-Jan, aperture; positioned .to

register: with a. disehargeytube. associated with;

the; can at, the plowei'; front, corner: thereof; for: dispensing mill: fromthe can.

2, An assembly 2' according; to claim 11compris-.

ing; refrigeratin coils; within. the; cabinet exa- 0;: ing; a perforated spur. mounted; inrfixed; rigidi position anduprojectingrintd thBiCOIlfiIIBSZOf the 7 pocket, from tharear: endzthereof to. engage with: and, perforate 3420811.: when the; latter is; forced' V againstit-iintonthe;pocket; 1. r

tom of the can .will admitthe inflowofair ion-the 7g; i A'nz assembly, according-.tox clainnl," wherein:

all of the front to rear walls of the pocket are.

at substantially 45 degrees to the horizontal.

5. In an assembly of the character described, a cabinet provided with a front plate having therein a rectangular diamond shaped opening the opposite edges of which are parallel to one another and are arranged at 90 degrees to the adjacent edges and all of which edges are in inclined angular relation to the horizontal, a rectangular pocket of corresponding cross section having an open front secured to the front plate in registration with the opening in the latter and adapted to receive a rectangular can to support the can in recumbent substantially horizontal position with two side walls of the can in contact with the corresponding side walls of the pocket, refrigerating coils associated with the wall of the pocket, and a door secured to the front of the casing for closing the opening in the front plate.

6. An assembly according to claim 5, wherein all of the edges of the diamond shaped opening in the front plate are inclined at substantially 45 degrees to the horizontal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 36,478 Phelph Sept. 16, 1862 2,246,693 Ohme June 24, 1941 2,291,256 Rehrig et a1. a- July 28, 1942 

